Romeo & Juliet

The roots of fashion are en pointe (like the ballerinas!) with the history of costume design. When the opportunity arose to shoot the majestic costumes of The National Ballet of Canada, we pliéd and pirouetted with joy! It’s easy to see the influence of the art form on current and past runways: Tybalt’s jacket was totally an ode to 80’s Chanel, the horned-head pieces screamed Alexander McQueen’s final collection, even the fabrics and embroidery seemed to be a current thread in Sarah Buton’s collection at the helm. Plus, we wouldn’t put it past Lady Gaga to rock one of those outrageous head pieces on her next trip to the 7-Eleven. And the influence has taken shape in our own closets in the form of our dear Repetto ballet flats on our feet. Costume couturier, Richard Hudson, the genius behind the Romeo and Juliet costumes—and Tony Award winner for his work on The Lion King—toured us around backstage and gave us the lowdown on Ballerina 101. We were so inspired by the craftsmanship of the costumes—hand-dipped, hand-dyed, hand-sewn—and the people who make it possible. Lorna Geddes, the ballerina-turned-Répétiteurs (that’s a fancy ballet term for coach) took us into the pointe shoes room, where we not only put our childhood years of ballet class to the test, but also got to live out our dreams of being a “real” ballerina and going en pointe. (And, yes. It’s not easy… or comfortable!) We give big props to those brave ballerinas who fouetté on the floor each night in those things. From the tutu room to the hat room, we were smitten with the artistry of the costumes. And although we were there to scope out the wardrobe for Romeo and Juliet, we couldn’t help but peek at the outfits for Nutcracker and, of course, Swan Lake.

Digital Inspiration

• The National Ballet of Canada
• Hieronymus Bosch
• Grant Heaps Blog
• @nationalballet